The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-09-08

1HE CatlOl1c O1tlZen urges OdIlOllc
parents to send their children to Catholic
schools and incidentally remarks that 'as
a mere secular training school, some of
the best and most practical educators in
the country are beginning to declare that
the public school lacks efficiency" The
consciousness that there is lack OF
efficiency is far more hopeful sign than
that quiescent condition which comes
from complete dissatisfaction. The pub
lie school is subjected to most rigid
scrutiny, mainly to discover defects
which are remediable. What is faulty is
constantly assailed. There is no self
glorifcation or attempt at concealment
of weak points. These weak points are
numerous but they are constantly grow
ing less and the public school Of to-day
is vastly superior to what it was ten years
ago. And this improvement comes from
that unrelenting demand for confession
of error and the steady purpose to direct
attention to what the school must do
rather than what it has the facilities for
doing.
The argument advanced by The Citi-
zen that the Catholic school teaches
morals, something which the public
school cannot do, is dreary platitude
unworthy the advanced ideas of that pa
per. That is a traditional delusion. The
forms of religion never inculcate morality
The conduct of the child is the best test
of the cultivation of his moral nature and
the public schools, so far as the knowl-
edge of the writer goes, may challenge
comparison of results in this respect with
the most Wanted of the private schools.
There is no mere assumption in this. 1t
is statement made from personal knowl-
edge, not deductions from the false pre-
mise that religious training must be an
tecedent to good conduct and that the
absence of religious teaching is in itself a
sign of immortality.
Not one third of the private schools of
this county gives the pupils in attendance
any training in English. This applies
more to other UNCONVENTIONAL schools
than the Catholic. They are designed to
perpetuate foreign language and to fos-
ter sectarianism and these things under
the delusive guise of morality. They are
inimical to the public school which breaks
down all distinctions as to nationality
and while assailing no religion, liberal
ICES opinion so that society is not dis
turbed by the conflict Of creeds Catho-
lies have had reason to object to certain
exercises in school, but these are dying
out and are wholly extinct in some coun-
ties.
The Citizen has done much good fol-
the Catholic people, and particularly
those of the Irish nationality. 1t has not
sought prosperity through hattering any
nationality but has been merciless IN ex.
posing errors, and If the Irish people
would would follow its advice they would
be happier and more prosperous. 1t Is
strange that such a paper should say
aught that could be construed as mimi
| cal to the public schools which lay the
basis of all it advocates in the line o.
| manly Independence giving strength te
| refuse to wear the collar of party or wins
| key dealer, lifting up the lowly to the
| plane of intelligence so that reason forti
| fies common sense, and broadening the
sympathies while enlarging the views sc
| that one man is never the tool of the
| other. The Citizen does not understand
! the public school and it's purpose. tt
attention has been directed to these alb
| normal manifestations, more an excres
| cence than type, and which are falling
off under the application of caustic crit
| cism and good sense The private schoo
| needs to stand more on its own merit anC
| less on the demands of religion. 1t must
show that it does incrllcate morality, not
rest on the generality that religion is es
| sential to morality. Religion is a vita
| principle and morality is one of its fruits
But these schools too often rest satisfied
with the assumption which in many cases
| is not justified by the results.
\